Aug 2026· AgriEngineering· Vol 8, pp. 352· 0 citations· 19 references
Abstract
The scientific problem addressed in this study is how a continuous mechanical architecture can maintain stable lettuce handling while improving treatment-medium access to irregular, overlapping leaf surfaces. We formulate this problem as a morphology-informed design and evaluation task. The proposed machine integrates soil removal, a reserved vision-based yellow-leaf detection and root-trimming station, multi-angle disinfection, water–air washing, combined airflow drying, film wrapping, weighing, and boxing modules on a chain-conveyor platform with bowl-shaped fixtures. The evaluation follows a design-to-evidence workflow: lettuce morphology and process requirements are mapped to module geometry; chain, lead-screw, gear, and motor parameters are checked analytically; an application-oriented geometric spray-coverage model tests fixed versus swinging bilateral nozzles; static finite element analysis screens the frame under defined design loads; and prototype assembly verifies spatial compatibility. The covered-surface proxy increased from 7.24% for fixed bilateral spraying to 13.58% for a ±35° swinging case under explicit screening assumptions, while the frame analysis gave 0.0224 mm maximum deformation and 7.30 MPa maximum von Mises stress. These outputs support a preliminary, mechanically feasible platform and a testable explanation for why adjustable spray orientation may improve access to complex lettuce surfaces. They do not constitute measured cleaning, microbial, trimming, drying, packaging, throughput, or reliability performance.
The automated transplanting of bare-root strawberry seedlings faces challenges, including a high reliance on manual feeding and a lack of adaptable equipment. Moreover, existing picking mechanisms are typically limited to plug seedlings rather than multi-stem crops. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes an automatic seedling picking and feeding system synergizing an intermittent conveying device and a manipulator. First, the physical and mechanical properties of bare-root strawberry seedlings were measured. Through radial stem compression tests, a non-destructive clamping safety threshold bounded by a bio-yield point of 28 N was determined. Secondly, an intermittent conveying device based on variable-span V-shaped supports was designed. Furthermore, based on the clamping safety threshold and spatial kinematic modeling, a seedling picking end-effector was developed. This end-effector adopts a “gather first, clamp later” operation strategy to guarantee grasping accuracy and ensure reliability by preventing seedling detachment during transportation. Finally, a system test bench was built to conduct a three-factor, three-level orthogonal experiment to investigate the effects of seedling picking frequency, gripping position, and clamping gap on operation quality. At a seedling pick-up frequency of 20 plants/min, gripping position of 25 mm, and gripping gap of 5 mm, the system reached 98% success rate in picking and feeding, validating its stability and providing core equipment and theoretical support for fully automatic strawberry transplanters.
Automatic orientation and conveying are critical to enhancing the operational efficiency of postharvest cabbage commercial processing (e.g., trimming), reducing labor input costs, and boosting commodity added value. To address this demand, this study presents the optimal design of an automatic orientation and conveying device for postharvest cabbages based on conical treads, leveraging the moment of inertia principle. Through dynamic modeling and analysis, the key structural parameters governing orientation performance and their feasible ranges were quantified. Furthermore, the orientation reliability of the proposed structure was validated via ADAMS-based motion simulation. A prototype of the postharvest cabbage orientation and conveying device was fabricated, and parameter optimization experiments were conducted to determine the optimal operating conditions. The results indicate that the device achieves superior operational performance when the orientation roller angle is set to 20°, the axial clearance is 60 mm, and the conveying chain linear speed is 300 mm/s. Under these optimal parameters, the orientation success rate of postharvest cabbages reaches 98.67 ± 1.05%, with an orientation angle deviation of 5.18 ± 0.39°. This design remarkably improves the orientation and conveying precision of postharvest cabbages, laying a solid theoretical foundation and providing technical support for subsequent commercial processing operations such as root cutting.
Conventional rotary straw return results in high straw content and uneven distribution within the shallow seedbed, which adversely affects maize sowing operations. To address this issue, a two-stage combined straw return machine with front-mounted rotary blades and rear-mounted burying fingers was developed, and an equiangular slide-cutting burying finger was designed to match the combined operation. A coupled discrete element model of soil–straw–root stubble-implement interactions was established based on sliding cutting theory, and single-factor tests were conducted to investigate the effects of forward speed, burial depth and slide-cutting angle on straw distribution uniformity, straw mass proportion in the 0–5 cm soil layer and power consumption. Field trials were carried out for validation. The results show that, under optimal parameters, the combined machine reduces the standard deviation of straw distribution by 15.89–23.55% and the straw mass proportion in the 0–5 cm layer by 12.41–13.20% compared with a traditional rotary tiller, with a power increase of 19.01–20.85%. This study provides a quantitative reference for improving seedbed quality following straw incorporation in the black soil region of Northeast China.
Small-scale clay-brick yards require molding equipment that increases output while remaining mobile, locally serviceable, and compatible with intermittent material supply. This article documents the functional architecture and exploratory operational performance of the mobile 12-cavity hydraulic clay-brick molding machine (ML12). Its design contribution is the integration of a dimensioned wheeled steel chassis, seated paired-lever controls, a translating feed hopper/distributor, a 12-cavity mold, two vertical hydraulic actuators, and a water-spray cleaning subsystem in a four-stage operating cycle. A retrospective concept-appraisal matrix compares this architecture with fixed automated and mobile manual concepts; equal weighting and one-at-a-time ±25% weight variations preserve the ML12’s highest internal score, without establishing stakeholder preference or empirical superiority. The evidence base also comprises sequential daily production logs: ten days of traditional manual molding followed by ten days of ML12-assisted molding. Mean gross green-brick output was 720 ± 86 bricks/day in the traditional period and 1495 ± 16 bricks/day in the ML12 period; corresponding descriptive throughputs were 86.5 and 186.9 bricks/h. A rejection-rate sensitivity analysis shows that, if traditional production had no rejects, ML12 conforming output would equal the traditional gross mean at a 51.8% ML12 rejection rate; this quantity boundary is not an estimate of quality or economic break-even. A preliminary linear-static finite-element case for a reconstructed frame returned a maximum von Mises stress of 112.3 MPa, 1.82 mm resultant displacement, and a minimum elastic safety factor of 2.23 on the reported medium mesh; the result is limited to the specified 1.0 kN load case and is not structural certification of the complete machine. Because the operational comparison was non-randomized and did not control staffing, operators, clay batch, moisture, weather, energy use, or rejection rate, the observed difference cannot be attributed exclusively to the machine. The results establish the machine architecture, an operational signal, and a bounded preliminary frame response, but not brick quality, ergonomic benefit, full structural safety, environmental benefit, or commercial return.
Unknown authors· Journal of Manufacturing and...· 0 citations
The increasing demand for processed orange juice in small and medium-scale agro-industries has highlighted the need for machinery capable of performing both juice extraction and peel-waste shredding in a single integrated system. This study aims to analyze the structural strength of the frame and assembly of a two-stage orange juicer and peel shredder machine using computer-aided simulation, ensuring that the designed structure can withstand the torsional and static loads generated during operation without experiencing structural failure. The frame was constructed from ASTM A525 galvanized steel angle profile measuring 50 x 50 x 4 mm, selected for its adequate mechanical strength, ease of fabrication, and economic availability. The research combined a literature review, three-dimensional modeling in SolidWorks 2022, and static structural simulation, followed by manual theoretical calculations of von Mises stress, displacement, and safety factor for verification purposes. The total static load applied to the frame, derived from the combined mass of the motor, hopper, squeezing cylinder, filter, shaft, and collection tank, was 310 N. The simulation results showed a maximum von Mises stress of 25.7 MPa, well below the material yield strength, indicating that the structure remained within its elastic limit. The maximum displacement obtained was 0.296 mm, and the resulting safety factor reached 8, both of which fall within acceptable design limits. Manual calculations produced higher stress and displacement values than the simulation, with discrepancies attributed to simplifying assumptions inherent to analytical beam theory. Based on these results, the frame design of the orange juicer and peel shredder machine is considered structurally safe and feasible for the intended operating conditions.
Suryo Wijoyo, Supriyono· Journal of Multidisciplinary...· 0 citations
Based on the China Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal Museum project, this study addresses the challenge that no existing manufacturer, domestically or internationally, could provide an off-the-shelf product meeting the safety and stability requirements for the first large-scale application of LIULI to a building curtain wall. Without a proven solution, the installation faced severe risks including physical damage, spontaneous fracture and falling debris, and dislodgement due to the substantial self-weight. Therefore, a design and performance study of large-scale corrugated three-dimensional LIULI composite panels was conducted. The final design adopts adhesive bonding of a double-layer heat-strengthened glass backing to a large-format, heavy corrugated 3D LIULI slab measuring 2.5m², 350kg, with a gradient thickness of 45–130mm. After comprehensive evaluation, a modified enhanced ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (PVE) interlayer was selected for lamination. The resulting structural configuration is defined as: LIULI slab + 2.28mm PVE + 10mm heat-strengthened glass + 1.52mm PVE + 10mm heat-strengthened glass. This composite system ensures high safety and high stability for large-scale corrugated 3D LIULI architectural applications.
Unknown authors· Academic Journal of Architec...· 0 citations
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